4179 Toutatis

4179 Toutatis
Toutatis imaged by Chang'e 2 during its flyby
Discovery [1]
Discovered byChristian Pollas
Discovery siteCaussols
Discovery date4 January 1989
Designations
(4179) Toutatis
Pronunciation/taʊˈteɪtɪs/
Named after
Toutatis (Celtic mythology)[2]
  • 1989 AC
  • 1934 CT
AdjectivesToutatian[4]
Orbital characteristics [3]
Epoch 27 November 2008 (JD 2454797.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc83.29 yr (30,422 days)
Earliest precovery date10 February 1934
Aphelion4.1242 AU
Perihelion0.9399 AU
2.5321 AU
Eccentricity0.6288
4.03 yr (1,472 days)
5.1220°
0° 14m 40.56s / day
Inclination0.4460°
124.30°
278.75°
Earth MOID0.0064 AU (2.5 LD)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions
  • 4.75 × 1.95 km[5]
  • 4.26 × 2.03 × 1.70 km[6]
2.45 km[6]
Mass1.9×1013 kg[7]
Mean density
2.5 g/cm3[7]
176 h (7.3 d)[8]
0.13[3]
Sk (SMASSII)[3]
8.8–22.4[9][10]
15.30[3]

4179 Toutatis (provisional designation 1989 AC) is an elongated, stony asteroid and slow rotator,[11] classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo asteroid group, approximately 2.5 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by French astronomer Christian Pollas at Caussols in 1989, the asteroid was named after Toutatis from Celtic mythology.[1][2]

Toutatis is also a Mars-crosser asteroid with a chaotic orbit produced by a 3:1 resonance with the planet Jupiter, a 1:4 resonance with the planet Earth, and frequent close approaches to the terrestrial planets, including Earth.[12] In December 2012, Toutatis passed within about 18 lunar distances of Earth. The Chinese lunar probe Chang'e 2 flew by the asteroid at a distance of 3.2 kilometers and a relative velocity of 10.73 km/s.[13] Toutatis approached Earth again in 2016, but will not make another notably close approach until 2069.[14]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference MPC-object was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference springer was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Hudson, "Gravitational Isopotentials on Toutatis"
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference nature1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Hudson-2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference scheeres1998 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference lcdb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference AstDys-Toutatis2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference AstDys-Toutatis2059 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Asteroid 4179 Toutasis". NASA. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference resonance was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Lakdawalla20121214 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference jpl-close was invoked but never defined (see the help page).